OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

42.61°N, 2.23°WEurope/Madrid

Daylight+9.7°

18:14:06

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 18m total night

DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset19:14

Civil Dusk19:43

Nautical20:16

Full Dark20:48

Nadir01:53

Dark Ends06:58

Nautical07:30

Civil Dawn08:03

Sunrise08:32

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE4.9°

DISTANCE380,371 km

Moonrise17:43

Moonset06:28

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX8% · Minimal Lunar Glare

Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

39/100

Challenging Stargazing

High cloud cover or severe light interference. Recommend bright planetary observation or indoor planning.

CLOUD COVER15%

HUMIDITY50%

VISIBILITY18 km

DEW POINT10.8°C

PLANETARY EPHEMERIS & ALMANAC

Visible Planets Tonight

All times calibrated to Europe/Madrid

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Rising / Setting	-4.3	3.9°	241°	Libra	08:55	13:47	18:40	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-14.9°	307°	Leo	02:44	09:44	16:41	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Below Horizon	0.3	-3.3°	84°	Pisces	18:32	00:39	06:51	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-16.8°	316°	Cancer	01:56	09:10	16:22	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Visible Low	0.4	13.8°	224°	Libra	10:31	15:11	19:52	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Below Horizon	5.6	-20.0°	30°	Taurus	20:46	04:11	11:39	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Rising / Setting	7.8	0.7°	91°	Pisces	18:09	00:10	06:14	Telescope

TONIGHT'S VIEWING SCHEDULE

When & Where to Look Tonight

A simple guide to when each object is above your horizon. No astronomy chart reading required.

BEST TIMEHighest in your sky

The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:43

BEST TIME23:59S · 50° high

SETS06:28

Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES02:44

BEST TIME09:44S · 62° high

SETS16:41

Reaches about 62° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES18:32

BEST TIME00:39S · 49° high

SETS06:51

Reaches about 49° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES08:55

BEST TIME13:47S · 29° high

SETS18:40

Reaches about 29° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:56

BEST TIME09:10S · 65° high

SETS16:22

Reaches about 65° above the horizon at its highest point.Distinctive crimson hue; polar ice cap discernible near opposition.

OBSERVING LOG & TARGET LIST

Tonight's Prime Deep-Sky Targets

0 / 6 targets logged tonight

M31 / NGC 224 · Andromeda

Andromeda Galaxy

Spiral Galaxy (2.5M ly)

Our galactic neighbor; visible as a ghostly oval smudge with dense radiant stellar core.

M45 · Taurus

The Pleiades (Seven Sisters)

Open Star Cluster

Breathtaking blue diamond cluster enshrouded in delicate interstellar reflection nebulosity.

M42 / NGC 1976 · Orion

Great Orion Nebula

Diffuse Emission Nebula

Star nursery harboring the brilliant Trapezium cluster with sprawling bat-wing filaments.

NGC 869 & NGC 884 · Perseus

The Double Cluster

Twin Open Clusters

Pair of spectacular shimmering jewel-boxes bursting with ruby supergiant stars.

M13 / NGC 6205 · Hercules

Great Globular Cluster in Hercules

Globular Cluster (300k stars)

Massive beehive of ancient stars packed tightly together into a blazing central ball.

M57 / NGC 6720 · Lyra

The Ring Nebula

Planetary Nebula

Delicate glowing smoke-ring left behind by a dying star 2,500 light-years away.